536 



NEW HAMPSHIRE. 



purposes. Public water-supplies, from sources 

 of undoubted wholesoineness, have been con- 

 structed in many of the larger towns. Much 

 attention has been given to the causes leading 

 to diphtheria and typhoid fever, and their re- 

 moval ; the consideration of influences affect- 

 ing the quality of milk, from a sanitary stand- 

 point ; the sanitary survey of school-houses, 

 and air-supplies; and the disposal of waste 

 matter. The Legislature of 1887 enacted laws 

 in relation to the extirpation of pleuro-pneu- 

 monia, and other contagious diseases, and the 

 publication of local vital statistics. 



Vital Statistics. The sixth annual reports of 

 registration of vital statistics comprise returns 

 to Dec. 31, 1885. The marriage-rate in the 

 State for 1885, was 9'16; birth-rate, 18'21; 

 death-rate, 17'87. The marriage-rate appears 

 highest in Hillsborough, Strafford, Rocking- 

 ham,. Carroll, and Coos Counties, in order. The 

 highest birth-rate given is from those counties 

 relatively having the largest number of the la- 

 boring-classes. Hillsborough County, with its 

 large number of factory operatives, gives 25'8 

 per 1,000 ; Coos, with a large number of lum- 

 bermen, foreigners, 24 - 86 ; Cheshire, 17'78; 

 Straftbrd, 17'46. There are reported, for 1885, 

 6,319 births. There were 56 twin births. In 

 26 marriages the brides were under fifteen 

 years of age; in 156 cases the man was between 

 fifteen and twenty, and the woman the same 

 in 792 cases; 36 men and 7 women were be- 

 tween seventy and eighty, and 2 men were 

 over eighty. In 459 instances the bride was 

 older than the groom ; 553 were widowers, and 

 419 widows. To the fourth marriage were 3 

 men and 4 women, and 1 man to the fifth 

 marriage. The oldest couple were eighty-two 

 and seventy-two, and the youngest sixteen and 

 fourteen. The 291 divorces granted were for 

 the following causes: abandonment, 83 ; adul- 

 tery, 62 ; three years' absence, 19 ; extreme 

 cruelty, 85; habitual drunkenness, 34; treat- 

 ment injurious to health, 4; impotency, 2 ; 

 conviction of crime and imprisonment, 2. Of 

 the libellants, 94 were men, and 197 women. 

 Consumption caused more deaths than any 

 single disease 857 ; 373 males, and 480 fe- 

 males ; 4 sex not stated. Other causes of 

 death were : pneumonia, 244 males, 259 fe- 

 males ; apoplexy and paralysis, 234 males, 256 

 females ; heart-disease, 241 males, 233 females ; 

 old age, 179 males, 240 females; cholera in- 

 fantum, 110 males, 109 females; cancer, 74 

 males, 139 females ; typhoid fever, 67 males, 

 74 females; meningitis, 70 males, 64 females; 

 Bright's disease, 70 males, 42 females ; brain- 

 diseases, 51 males, 58 females ; bronchitis, 41 

 males, 67 females ; debility, 55 males, 52 fe- 

 males ; diarrhoea and dysentery, 46 males, 54 

 females ; dropsy, 39 males, 52 females, diph- 

 theria, 37 males, 41 females; convulsions, 31 

 males, 43 females ; croup, 42 males, 31 females ; 

 liver-diseases, 32 males, 30 females, scarlatina, 

 22 males, 31 females. 



Fish and Game. The variety of fish chiefly 



distributed in 1886 was brook-trout and land- 

 locked salmon. Experience and observation 

 have taught the commissioners that these var- 

 ieties are the best for the waters of New Hamp- 

 shire. The work of the commission for the 

 past years has produced favorable and encour- 

 aging results in fish-culture, and in restocking 

 the varied waters of the State. The number 

 of brook-trout distributed the past year was 

 over 600,000. Hebron river, a tributary to 

 Newfound lake, is reputed to contain the finest 

 spawning-grounds in the State for the land- 

 locked salmon. The Plymouth and Sunapee 

 hatcheries furnished for distribution in the 

 State 1,300,000 young fish and eggs. Among 

 the different kinds of fish planted for develop- 

 ment are the brown trout, rainbow trout, Loch- 

 Levan trout, known as the finest of European 

 species. They were planted in Sunapee lake. 

 The new trout, previously mentioned as in- 

 habiting Sunapee, pronounced to be a variety 

 of the Oquassa type, and believed to be a na- 

 tive of this lake, still excites much interest to 

 sportsmen and fish scientists. Good has been 

 accomplished by the enforcement of the game 

 laws, as seen by the increase of deer in the 

 northern portions of the State, where none 

 have been seen for years. These laws have 

 apparently put an end to much of the illegal 

 snaring of the partridge. More than 325 fish 

 and game wardens have been qualified. 



Charities. The State supports and educates 

 its deaf, dumb, and blind in institutions out- 

 side of her limits; for its deaf and dumb, $3,- 

 997.45 ; blind, $3,600 ; idiotic and feeble-mind- 

 ed youth, $258.28 ; indigent insane at asylum, 

 $6,000; convict insane, $2,962.10; asylum li- 

 brary, $100 ; Deaf-Mute Mission, $150 ; total, 

 $11,326.11. 



Industrial School. The number in the school 

 during the year was 150; discharged at expira- 

 tion of sentence, 14; on probation, 11; hon- 

 orably discharged, 7 ; in school, April 1, 1887, 

 119. Parentage: American, 73; Irish, 42; 

 French, 23; 12 of other nationalities. These 

 are instructed in reading, writing, arithmetic, 

 geography, history, physiology, and philosophy. 

 The State pays $6,000 for the school's support. 



State Prison, The number of convicts was 

 121; 118 males and 3 females. The earnings 

 for the year were $16,508.17; expenses, $20,- 

 024.85 ; balance against the institution, $3,-- 

 516.68. Commitments for seventeen years 

 have averaged six per cent. ; for the last year 

 but four per cent. a decrease commendable to 

 the State. 



Asylum for the Insane. This has continued 

 self-supporting. The debt of $20,000 incurred 

 in the erection of the Bancroft building has 

 been reduced to $11,000. The past year began 

 with 317 patients ; 136 men and 181 women. 

 Admitted during the year 143 83 men and 60 

 women. Whole number during the year, 471 

 226 men and 245 women. Discharged, 95 

 54 men and 41 women. Daily average for the 

 year, 321 137 men and 184 women. Of the 



